The present invention relates to an apparatus for the locating of a work member supporting fixture on a support table for the clamping of the fixture in located position on the table, especially for the machining of various regions of the work member and most especially in such a manner that even heavy work members and fixtures can readily be moved about in a machine tool into various machining positions.
The machining of work members of any substantial size in most machine tools involves time consuming, laborious repositioning of the work member in the machine tool as various regions of the work member, other than, for example, concentric portions thereof, are to be machined. When the work members being machined reach substantial size, it becomes necessary to use hoists and other power devices for elevating and moving the work members about and for lowering the work members into the proper positions for the machining of respective regions of the work member.
Such moving about of work members is, as mentioned, time consuming and laborious and can be attended with some danger. Further, the precise positioning of the work member in a selected position under such conditions is difficult and cannot always be achieved with the desired accuracy.
The present invention has as a primary objective the provision of an apparatus for use in respect of the moving and locating of work members, particularly heavy work members, and especially in machine tools, in which the moving about of the work member can be accomplished relatively easily without the use of power equipment and whereby the work member can be accurately located in respective machining positions and all being accomplished in a minimum amount of time.